Cookie-cutter world
by IzabelleJordan
Summary: Draco's not really all that bad. Can the new girl make the gang see that?My first HP fic, bare with me. Karma is mine, I forgot to mention that. Usual disclaimer. PG just in case.


*Draco's POV*  
  
I crept silently from my common room, intent on sneaking to the kitchen for a midnight snack. I slipped down the dimly lit corridors, not making a sound. Or, rather, trying not to. My shoes scuffled the floors occasionally.   
I rounded another corner, and gasped. Someone was lying, curled in the fetal position in the middle of the floor. I knelt beside the crying girl. She shook with violent sobs.   
I gently touched her shoulder, letting her know I was there. She cried out and threw her hands up in an attempt to defend herself. I chanced a quick look at her face and gasped.  
  
"Karma?"  
  
A moan of pain was her answer. I quickly pulled off my cloak, thankful it had been cold when I left my common room. I gently wrapped it around her shaking, battered body. Picking her up carefully, I started quickly in the opposite direction, towards the hospital wing.  
I burst through the door, yelling for Madame Pomferoy. The large woman came waddling out of her office, looking upset that I had disturbed her.  
  
"What is it child? Don't ye' know it's almost 1:30 in the bloomin' mornin'? Just what's so bloody important that ye' come yellin' like- oh my heavens! What's happened to her?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I was umm...well, I was sneaking downstairs to nick some food from the kitchen. And I turned a corner, and there she was. She was curled up in a little ball, crying her eyes out. And there's blood all over the corridor too."  
  
I laid Karma on the nearest empty bed as I relayed the story. I kept my cloak around her so she would warm up. She moaned softly in pain. Madame Pomferoy started to pull my cloak away, and gasped at the amount of blood she saw.  
  
"Go get Headmaster Dumbledore. Tell him what's happened. Then fetch Professor McGonagall. Go!"  
  
"No! Don't go!" Karma latched onto my wrist. I knelt beside the bed for a moment.  
  
"Karma, I've got to. I'll be right back. I promise. But the Professors need to know, alright?"  
  
She finally agreed in a small voice. I detached her hand from my wrist and sprinted towards the Headmaster's office. I rushed up the winding stairs and threw myself against the door. Professor Dumbledore looked a bit disheveled at first. After hearing what I had to say, however, he quickly followed me.  
We fetched Professor McGonagall, and hurried back to the hospital wing. Madame Pomferoy had just finished examining Karma when we got through the door.  
  
*Karma's POV*  
  
I lay on the bed, slightly dazed, and in a lot of pain. I hadn't recognized the boy who brought me here, although he did seem a bit familiar. Maybe I had had classes with him? I wasn't sure.  
My left eye was swollen shut, and my right was quickly following suit. My whole body hurt, and I was shivering, even though I wasn't cold, thanks to the boy's warm cloak. Madame Pomferoy looked seriously frightened, and I'm sure my own features mirrored hers.  
She was careful to be as gentle as possible, not that it mattered. My body hurt so horribly that a steady stream of tears trekked their way down my bleeding face. I cried out softly as she applied a bit of pressure to one particularly painful cut on my leg.  
I was starting to worry that my mystery rescuer wasn't coming back. It had been a good while, and I could barely see, but I heard hurried footsteps, and knew he had returned.  
I turned my head slightly, wincing at the pain. Through the blurriness, I saw his outline, along with two others. The first was very tall, with silver-white hair and beard. Headmaster Dumbledore. The other was also taller than normal. Professor McGonagall. I couldn't see any of them very well, as my eyes were swollen and full of pained tears.  
Mystery boy knelt at my bedside, and I latched onto his hand once again. I could hear the adults talking, but chose to ignore them. I cleared my throat, resulting in hurting myself even more. I winced slightly. I heard Madame Pomferoy mention mystery boy's name. Draco.  
  
*Draco's POV*  
  
I looked up from my kneeling position, seeing Karma trying to focus on me. Her eyes were swollen, and I knew it wasn't just from crying. A large cut adorned her left eye. I felt so bad for her. I almost asked what happened, but stopped myself, figuring the Professors would ask, and not wanting to make her tell it twice.  
She gripped my hand tightly, as if frightened that I might leave again. With my free hand, I pulled a chair closer to her bed and sat down. I gently stroked the back of her hand with my thumb, and she smiled softly. The smile was quickly wiped away, however, as another wave of pain made her close her eyes tightly and grind her teeth.  
Madame Pomferoy rushed to the bed and quickly gave Karma something to stop the pain. Her features relaxed quickly, and she squeezed my hand again. She smiled agaiin, and I noticed a large cut on her lower lip.  
Professor McGonagall looked horridly pale, most likely sick at the sight of so much blood. She sat quickly in a chair on the other side of Karma, and held her head in her hands. She was definately shaken up about this. I sighed quietly.  
Headmaster Dumbledore had finished talking to Madame Pomferoy, and now turned to Karma. She looked extremely frightened, and grasped my hand tighter.  
  
"Now, Karma, I know all you want to do now is rest, but we need to know what happened. Do you think you could tell us?" He asked softly, concern evident in both his voice and his eyes. Karma nodded once and began talking in a low voice.  
  
*Karma's POV*  
  
I couldn't sleep, so I had been trying to sneak down to nick a midnight snack from the kitchen. I heard muffled shouts and what sounded like threats, so I rushed forward. As I rounded the corner, I saw a horrific sight.  
A young girl, who I knew as a fifth year Gryffindor, was being held against a wall by two obviously seventh year boys. They were threatening her, but I couldn't hear the words.  
Throwing myself upon the seventh years, I yelled at the girl to run. She complied immediately, and I was left to battle. I manged to fight them off for a while, having put my muggle street fighting skills to use. I landed a couple of really excelent uppercuts, but with my thin build, I was no match for the burly, heavily muscled thugs.  
They quickly defeated me, and I was left, battered and bleeding in the middle of the floor. I lay there for what seemed like hours, wondering how I was going to survive, seeing as I couldn't walk because my legs hurt so much.  
Just as I was about to give up completely, I heard light footsteps, as if someone were sneaking around. Frightened, I curled up even more than I had already been. I was shivering from fright and extreme cold, mentally kicking myself for neglecting to bring my warm cloak.  
  
*Draco's POV*  
  
"And that's when you found me." She finished, squeezing my hand.  
  
I continued to trace small circles on the back of her hand as the adults starting talking again. I cleared my throat, making them turn to look at me.  
  
"How long does Karma have to stay here?"  
  
"Most likely a week, maybe less. Depends on how fast she heals." Madame Pomferoy said.  
  
Karma looked worried about that. 


End file.
